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Physics LibreTexts

2.4: Radius of Gyration

( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)

The second moment of inertia of any body can be written in the form mk2. Thus, for the rod, the disc (about an axis perpendicular to its plane), the triangle and the disc (about a diameter), k has the values

  • l3=0.866l,
  • a2=0.707a,
  • a6=0.408a, and
  • a2=0.500a

respectively.

k is called the radius of gyration. If you were to concentrate all the mass of a body at its radius of gyration, its moment of inertia would remain the same.


This page titled 2.4: Radius of Gyration is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Jeremy Tatum via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.

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